Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Why In the Long Run
I am a distance runner. I have run a marathon a year for the last six years, and in fact, one year I even ran two marathons, one of which was The Boston Marathon (forgive me for name-dropping, but I thought it was a grueling race and I am proud of finishing it.)
I follow a schedule quite religiously when preparing for a race. All distance runners know the necessity of including weekly "long runs" in their training programs, which gradually increase in distance before tapering off as the race day approaches. These runs sometimes take me up to three and a half hours to complete. That's a lot of time for cogitation, contemplation, introspection, and, well, sometimes just plain mind-wandering.
During my long runs, I've deliberated important choices, assessed my strengths and weaknesses, pondered spiritual questions, focused on relationships involving family members, friends, and acquaintances, mulled over events of the last few days, arranged complicated schedules, brainstormed ideas for work, church, and home, formulated political views, and daydreamed a good deal.
I see this blog as a natural extension of my meditative long runs. Here I will write some of my ruminations. It is during my long runs that I do some of my best thinking and problem-solving, and I hope for the same thing to occur here In the Long Run.
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I find it interesting that you do some of your best thinking while running. There is a fairly amusing commercial on TV these days in which a high-level executive invites some of his advisors to meet him in the shower of the public bathroom at their office building. When the advisors ask the executive why they are in the shower, the executive tells them that he does his best thinking in the shower. If it is true that we can condition our minds to work well in certain environments, do you think that your ability to think well is triggered by the long runs? Or is your sharp thinking a result of the large amount of time you have in which to contemplate your decisions? In either case, I guess we'll know the next time you take an unexpected long run that you have been extended a calling to serve in the General Relief Society Presidency...
First off, congratulations on running seven marathons. That's quite an achievement. I'm not sure I could complete a 10K.
Some years ago cycling was my passion. It was not uncommon for me to ride 100 miles in a day. Like you cyppy, I experienced that meditative sweet-spot. It seemed to occur when my heart rate was about 75-85% of it's maximum. Any higher and, for me at least, the opposite occurs. Suddenly I can not remember an event that occured moments ago. As long as I was in that sweet-spot it was a very productive time, much as you describe.
Thanks for reminding me about one of the great joys of exercising. It's too easy to approach exercise with the attitude of "No Pain, No Gain." Maybe the real gains from exercising have nothing to do with pain?
Keep on running and writing cyppy!
Some years ago cycling was my passion. It was not uncommon for me to ride 100 miles in a day. Like you cyppy, I experienced that meditative sweet-spot. It seemed to occur when my heart rate was about 75-85% of it's maximum. Any higher and, for me at least, the opposite occurs. Suddenly I can not remember an event that occured moments ago. As long as I was in that sweet-spot it was a very productive time, much as you describe.
Thanks for reminding me about one of the great joys of exercising. It's too easy to approach exercise with the attitude of "No Pain, No Gain." Maybe the real gains from exercising have nothing to do with pain?
Keep on running and writing cyppy!
Cyppy, isn't running a little hard on the knees? Or is there some way to get around that? Or do you simply have indestructable knees?
I would love to run, even a little way (like around the block). Do you have any suggestions for a rank beginner? How did you start?
I would love to run, even a little way (like around the block). Do you have any suggestions for a rank beginner? How did you start?
Yes, running can be very hard on the knees, and mine have suffered somewhat from my marathon mania. I try to do less running and more cross-training in the winters, to give them a rest.
If you want to start running, get a good pair of running shoes. Begin with walk/run intervals, and gradually increase the time you are running, until you can run for 30-40 minutes without stopping.
Find a local 5K race to train for, and run in, as it's always motivating to have a goal. You'll soon know if running is a sport you enjoy enough to stick with! Good luck!
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If you want to start running, get a good pair of running shoes. Begin with walk/run intervals, and gradually increase the time you are running, until you can run for 30-40 minutes without stopping.
Find a local 5K race to train for, and run in, as it's always motivating to have a goal. You'll soon know if running is a sport you enjoy enough to stick with! Good luck!
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